Continua Raises $8M to Bring Smart AI Agents to Group Chats
AI Enters the Group Chat: Continua’s New Approach to Smarter Conversations
Group chats are essential for coordinating everything from dinner plans to project management, but they can quickly become chaotic and overwhelming. A new startup, Continua, is aiming to change that by introducing AI agents designed to make group messaging more productive and organized.
Startup Roots: From Google to Group Chats
David Petrou, a veteran engineer with over 17 years at Google and a founding member of both Google Goggles and Google Glass, left the tech giant in early 2023 to launch Continua. Petrou’s vision was to leverage the rapid pace of AI innovation in a startup setting to tackle real-world collaboration challenges.
How Continua Works
Continua’s AI agents integrate directly into popular group chat platforms like SMS, iMessage, and Discord. Rather than acting as just another chatbot, these agents aim to enhance group decision-making and planning by:
- Setting automatic reminders and calendar invites
- Launching polls and generating checklists
- Privately answering questions about previous chat details
- Joining conversations only when their input is helpful
For example, if your group is planning a trip, Continua can help summarize information, set up to-do lists, and even handle event bookings. If you forget what time a meeting was scheduled, a simple direct message to Continua can provide the answer—no need to scroll through endless message threads.
Technical Challenges and Social Intelligence
Building an AI that works naturally with multiple people (not just one-on-one) is a complex technical task. Petrou and his team had to fine-tune their large language model (LLM) to recognize when to speak up and when to "hang back," ensuring the agent feels like a helpful group member rather than an intrusive bot. Users can easily adjust how active Continua is in their chats.
Momentum and Backing
Continua recently secured an $8 million seed round led by GV (formerly Google Ventures), with participation from Bessemer Venture Partners and several angel investors. Erik Nordlander, general partner at GV, noted that Petrou’s track record and early vision were key factors in their decision to invest.
Getting Started
To use Continua, users simply add its phone number to an SMS group or its username to a Discord chat. The platform is already being used for event planning, trip coordination, and more, with potential future features that could generate additional revenue for the company.
The Future of AI in Group Communication
While other companies like Meta and Hey Umai are exploring similar territory, Continua is distinguishing itself by focusing on group interactions and seamless, context-aware assistance. As AI becomes more embedded in our daily digital lives, solutions like Continua could set a new standard for how we collaborate and communicate.
